Closure cap for a bottle with controlled opening

ABSTRACT

A closure device for a container, particularly a bottle, has a stopper called the service cap, arranged at the end thereof, on which a closing flap pivots. The closure device is provided with a locking system and cooperates with a hole in the sealed closure, or can be opened by pivoting. The closing flap has an opening device to guarantee the complete pivoting of the closing flap on opening, by a constant force and a constant movement without manual action of the user, immediately after the same has carried out a voluntary manual operation on the closing flap which is limited to releasing the locking system thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for opening-closing acontainer, particularly a bottle, consisting of a stopper known as the“service cap” arranged at its end and to which there is articulated ashut-off flap.

This shut-off flap is equipped with an internal peg intended tocollaborate in sealed closure with a pouring hole formed at the upperpart of the stopper. This flap is intended to be made to open byflipping.

(2) Prior Art

In this type of device, the shut-off flap is made to open by directaction on one of the ends, the opposite end to the hinge, accompanyingit by hand, generally using the thumb of the same hand, over at leastpart of its opening travel or until it reaches a flip-over point.

Whether this be in the first instance or in the second in the case oflarge stoppers, difficulties are encountered in accompanying the openingof the shut-off flap, particularly when one's hands are small.

The problem is that if the stopper is not fully open, it returns to anintermediate position, that is to say a position that is neither opennor closed, entailing a repeat of the operation on the shut-off flap inorder to cause it to move past the flip-over point.

It is therefore necessary for the opening action to be continued untilthere is full opening, practically at 1800 with respect to the upperplane of the stopper.

Of course, one could quite well hold the tube in one hand and performthe opening of the shut-off flap with the other hand, but the desiredobjective is to perform this operation with just one hand, the handholding the bottle, while the thumb of the same hand in a single actionopens the shut-off flap in a manner that is reliable and without therisk of the shut-off flap returning to its initial position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first phase of the inventive approach, due considerationwas given to the fact that the locking of the shut-off flap on thestopper was achieved by the pressing of the shut-off pip into thepouring hole of the stopper, or by any other means, but that the problemwith opening arose after the travel of disengaging the said pip from thehole had been completed.

Means were therefore sought which, starting out from such a shut-off andclosure-locking system, would allow said shut-off flap to open, that isto say to complete its opening travel, automatically, without beingmanually accompanied by the user.

To this end, the invention relates to a device for opening-closing acontainer, particularly a bottle, consisting of a stopper known as the“service cap” arranged at its end and to which there is articulated ashut-off flap equipped with a locking system and which is intended tocollaborate in sealed closure with a hole formed at the upper part ofthe stopper or be made to open by flipping, characterized in that theshut-off flap comprises controlled-opening means intended to cause theshut-off flap to flip over fully during opening, with a force ofconstant magnitude, and a constant movement, without manualaccompaniment on the part of the user, immediately after this user hasexerted a deliberate manual action on the shut-off flap that is confinedto releasing its locking system.

In this way, opening of the shut-off flap takes place independently ofthe force required to unlock the locking system and makes it possible toobtain accompaniment for opening, without intervention on the part ofthe user, and always with the same force.

The present invention also relates to the features that will becomeapparent during the course of the description which will follow andwhich should be considered in isolation or in any technically feasiblecombination is thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This description, given by way of nonlimiting example, will make iteasier to understand how the invention may be embodied with reference tothe attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, in an open position, of an opening-closingdevice according to the invention, fitted to a stopper known as theservice cap of a bottle.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of two constituent parts of theopening-closing device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, in a closed position, of anopening-closing device according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an opening-closing device according to asecond embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

The opening-closing device denoted 1 overall in FIGS. 1 to 3 consists ofa stopper known as the service cap 2 arranged at the end of a bottle(not depicted) to which there is articulated a shut-off flap 3 equipped,in a known way, with an internal peg 4 intended to collaborate inclosure with a pouring hole 5 formed at the upper part of the stopper 2or to be made to open by flipping, said peg also providing sealing atthe pouring hole 5. The peg 4 and the hole 5 constitute, according tothe present, nonlimiting, example, means for locking the shut-off flap3.

According to the invention, the shut-off flap 3 comprisescontrolled-opening means 6, intended to make sure that the shut-off flap3 flips over fully during opening, with a force of constant magnitude,without manual accompaniment on the part of the user, immediately afterthis user has exerted a deliberate manual action on the shut-off flap 3that is confined to releasing its internal peg 4 from the pouring hole 5in the stopper 2 in which it is held during closure.

According to a first embodiment, the means 6 for the controlled openingof the shut-off flap 3 consist of an energy-storing elastic member 7inserted between an upper part 2 a of the stopper 2 and a lower part ofthe shut-off flap 3 facing one another in closure, so as to keep saidmember under permanent compression in this position.

More specifically, the energy-storing elastic member 6 consists of twospring leaves 7 that are elastically deformable in one of their freeparts, facing upwards and secured to two arms 8, one of the respectiveends of which is immobilized in mortises 9 formed on the upper face 2 aof the stopper 2. Each of the other ends of the arms 8 is equipped witha lateral pivot 10 able to fit in corresponding respective housings 11formed facing one another on the upper face 2 a of the stopper 2, in aregion away from the region of the mortises 9. Said arms 8 equipped withpivots 10 are joined together by means for releasing the flap 3 whichcomprise a frontal pressing region 12 of an operating button 15 securedto the pivots 10 and extending downward at right angles to the arms 8 onone side of the articulation formed by said pivots 10. The pressingregion 12 is extended toward the inside of the stopper 2, in a planemore or less parallel to the arms, on the other side of saidarticulation, by a lever 13 able to perform lifting by rotation againstan internal part of the free end of the shut-off flap 3 away from thehinge 14 when pressure is exerted on the pressing region 12 of theoperating button 15, until such time as the pip 4 is released from thepouring hole 5.

Across its front the stopper 2 comprises a housing, preferably in theshape of a semicircle, for accommodating the pressing region 12 of theoperating button 15, while at the same time allowing its travel.

The upper region 2 a of the stopper 2 comprises two lateral grooves 30ending in the mortises 9.

According to another feature of the invention, the shut-off flap 3comprises internal reliefs 16 constituting pressing ridges produced onan internal region 3 a of said flap 3 at its free end away from thehinge 14, facing that part of the operating button 15 that forms thelever 13, so as to come into contact with the latter on closure.

Moreover, the shut-off flap 3 comprises, on two parallel side walls andnear the hinge 14, two bosses 17 opposite the spring leaves 7,constituting points that compress these leaves on closure.

According to another feature of the invention, the operating button 15,the lever 13, the lateral pivots 10, the arms 8 and the spring leaves 7are obtained as one piece by molding a plastic, with a geometry such asto allow the single component thus formed to be fitted in hollowcorresponding parts belonging to the top of the stopper 2, in the mannerof a drawer.

As a preference, the plastic used is a polyacetal or a polypropylenefilled with long glass fibers, positioned in the lengthwise direction ofthe spring leaf 7 so as to enhance the spring effect.

According to this embodiment, the spring leaf 7 is overmolded onto thearms 8, but it could very well be forcibly fitted onto these.

Likewise, the stopper 2, the flap 3, the pip 4, the hole 5, the build-inparts 9, the ridges 16, the bosses 17, the articulation holes 11, aremade during one single molding operation to form a second one-piece partthus limiting the assembly to two parts to be fitted together.

Assembling the controlled-opening means 6 in the stopper 2 is performedby inserting the arms 8 into the grooves 30 in the stopper 2, which armsthen position themselves in the housings 9 and 11.

In order to open the shut-off flap 3, once these two parts have beenassembled, all that is required is for pressure to be exerted on thepressing region 12. That causes the lever 13 to rotate about the pivotregion 10; this pivoting part then presses against the pressing ridges16 of the flap 3.

The movement of the pressing ridges means that the pip 4, situated onthe flap 3, is no longer held in the product outlet hole 5.

The spring leaves 7, as they release, push on the bosses 17 of theshut-off flap 3 and thus allow automatic opening of the flap 3.

Closure is performed by pushing the flap 3 back onto the cap 2, the pip4 then becomes held in the product outlet hole 5 and the bosses 17 onceagain compress the spring leaves 7, ready for the next opening.

According to an alternative form of embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, theenergy-storing elastic member 20 consists of a block of elasticallydeformable elastomer inserted into an upper region of the stopper 2Anear the hinge 14A so as to collaborate, in crushing, when the flap 3Ais in a closed position, with a rib 16A produced in a correspondinginternal region of the latter.

According to another feature of this second embodiment depicted in FIG.4, the stopper 2A comprises means for releasing the shut-off flap whichcomprise a frontal pressing region 12A of an operating button 15A,secured to two lateral pivots 10A able to be articulated in twocorresponding housings. Said pressing region 12A is extended at itsupper part, beyond the articulation formed by the pivots 10 a, towardsthe inside of the stopper 2A, by a lever 13A more or less perpendicularto the pressing region 12A and able to perform lifting by rotationagainst an internal part of the free end of the shut-off flap 3A awayfrom the hinge 14A when pressure is exerted on the pressing region ofthe operating button 15A, until such time as the pip 4A is released fromthe pouring hole 5A.

As before, the shut-off flap 3A comprises internal reliefs 16Aconstituting pressing ridges produced on an internal region of said flap3A at its free end away from the hinge 14A, facing that part of theoperating button 15A that forms the lever 13A, so as to come intocontact with the latter on closure.

Again, as before, the operating button 15A consisting of the pressingregion 12A, the pivots 10A and the lever 13A is obtained in one piece ina single operation of molding a plastic.

According to another feature of the invention which is common to bothembodiments, interposed the frontal pressing region 13, 13A of theoperating button 15, 15A and its corresponding housing formed in thestopper 2, 2A are indicators 21 indicating first opening.

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A device for opening-closing a container having astopper arranged at an end and to which there is articulated a shut offflap equipped with a locking system and which collaborates in sealedclosure with a hole formed at an upper part of the stopper or is made toopen by flipping, said shut off flap comprising controlled opening meansincluding an energy storing elastic member inserted between an upperpart of the stopper and a lower part of the shut off flap, the energystoring elastic member comprising two spring leaves that are elasticallydeformable in one of their free parts, secured to two arms, one of therespective ends of which is immobilized in mortises formed on the upperpart of the stopper and each of the other ends of which is equipped witha lateral pivot able to fit in corresponding respective housings formedfacing one another on the upper part of the stopper, in a region awayfrom the region of the mortises, said arms being equipped with pivotsbeing joined together by means for releasing the flap which comprise afrontal pressing region of an operating button secured to the pivots andextending downward at right angles to the arms on one side of thearticulation formed by said pivots and extending towards an inside ofthe stopper, in a plane more or less parallel to the arms, on the otherside of said articulation, by a lever able to perform lifting byrotation against an internal part of the free end of the shut off flapaway from a hinge when pressure is exerted on the pressing region of theoperating button, until such time as a pip is released from the hole.10. The opening closing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the shutoff flap comprises internal reliefs constituting pressing ridgesproduced on an internal region of said flap at its free end away fromthe hinge, facing that part of the operating button that forms thelever, so as to come into contact with the latter on closure.
 11. Theopening closing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the shut off flapcomprises, on two parallel side walls and near the hinge, two bossesopposite the spring leaves, constituting points that compress the leaveson closure.
 12. The opening closing device as claimed in claim 9,wherein the operating button, the lever, the lateral pivots, the armsand the spring leaves are created as one piece by molding a plastic,with a geometry such as to allow a single component thus formed to befitted in hollow corresponding parts belonging to a top of the stopper,in the manner of a drawer.
 13. The opening closing device as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the energy storing elastic member comprises a block ofelastically deformable elastomer inserted into an upper region of thestopper near the hinge so as to collaborate, in crushing, when the flapis in a closed position, with a rib produced in a corresponding internalregion of the latter.
 14. The opening closing device as claimed in claim13, further comprising means for releasing the shut off flap whichcomprise a frontal pressing region of an operating button, secured totwo lateral pivots able to be articulated in two corresponding housings,said pressing region being extended at its upper part, beyond thearticulation formed by the pivots, towards the inside of the stopper, bya lever more or less perpendicular to the pressing region and able toperform lifting by rotation against an internal part of the free end ofthe shut off flap away from the hinge when pressure is exerted on thepressing region of the operating button, until such time as the pip isreleased from the hole.
 15. The opening closing device as claimed inclaim 14, wherein the operating button consisting of the pressingregion, the pivots and the lever is created in one piece in a singleoperation of molding a plastic.
 16. The opening closing device asclaimed in claim 15, wherein interposed between the frontal pressingregion of the operating button and its corresponding housing formed inthe stopper are indicators indicating first opening.